St. John Fisher College Introduces New Student Success Initiative

Fisher Edge Offers New Opportunities to Prepare for Life after College

This fall, St. John Fisher College will roll-out The Fisher Edge, a new program for undergraduate students that offers a holistic approach to creating their educational journey—from first-year student to graduating senior.

With The Fisher Edge, the College will offer students seamlessly integrated academic pathways, team-based advising, and career exploration that will result in a signature experience that fits their personal interests and career ambitions.

“The Fisher Edge delivers on our promise to provide transformational educational experiences for our students,” said Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of the College. “This program takes our student-centered focus to an individual level by creating a personalized set of experiences for each student that are designed to help them consider, clarify, and ultimately achieve their educational goals and early career directions.”

With the launch of the program, the College has revamped its degree maps and refined its processes for class scheduling, allowing students to see courses a full year in advance. The pathways, which will be unique to each student, also include recommended opportunities outside of the classroom that will complement their coursework including internships and research experiences.

Also new is a team-based approach to advising, providing students with a support system that includes professors, staff members, and career counselors, among others. Each incoming class will benefit from a Class Advising Team, a dedicated group of advisors who will remain with the students throughout their four years on campus, offering workshops and programming that match their growth and progression.

“The team-based advising approach is about creating real, meaningful conversations with students, throughout the entire academic year, about what their goals are and how Fisher can play a role in making them happen,” said Teah Terrance, director of campus life and freshman advisor.

Through The Fisher Edge, students will have access to more robust career exploration opportunities, bolstered by purposeful collaboration between school-based professionals, faculty, and alumni. Integrated career and academic advisors will also be housed in one location through the creation of a new center focused on career and academic planning. There will also be a stronger focus on providing experiential learning opportunities—internships, fieldwork, job shadowing, or informational interviews, for example—to any student who wants one.

Eileen Lynd-Balta, associate provost, who was instrumental in designing the program with Terrance, said at its heart, the program is about blending a liberal arts education with career preparation that will lead to post-graduation success.

“Through a combination of academic pathways, academic advising, and career exploration, we believe students will leave Fisher well-rounded and prepared to make meaningful, positive impacts in their professional and personal lives,” she said.

To learn more about the Fisher Edge, visit go.sjfc.edu/edge.